8.03.2005

My comments inserted in italics

Technology 'optimists' turn off TV : "LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Broadband Internet surfers in North America watch two fewer hours of television per week than do those without Internet access, while those using a dial-up connection watch 1.5 fewer hours of TV.

Those extra 30 minutes are dial-up users waiting for a page to load....

Broadband Internet users watch just 12 hours of TV per week, compared with 14 hours for those who are offline, according to the study, 'The State of Consumers and Technology:Benchmark 2005.' While its conclusion that Internet usage detract from other media is not new, the study delves deeper than others, separating consumers into various categories, including technology 'optimists' and 'pessimists' and 'tenured nomadic networkers.'

As an armchair sociologist, I find that third term to be seriously boneheaded. 'tenured nomadic networkers.'??? Surely they could have done better than that. How about 'Broadband Bedouins?"

Folks making up the latter category have had Internet access in their networked homes for at least five years and own a laptop computer. These nomads watch just 10.8 hours of TV each week.

I promise you I don't know of a thinking person who watches 10.8 hrs of tv per week. Well, I just went and made a bunch of you mad. Take out your angst on your television. Shoot it.

The study defines a tech optimist as believing technology will make life more enjoyable, while pessimists are indifferent or even hostile to technology. Pessimists outnumber optimists 51%-49%."

I believe the numbers are about the same for church people. Pessimists up in the polls by 2%.